Switch mechanism



J. B. PARSONS SWITCH MECHANISM Jan. 1, 1952 Filed June 16, 1949 FILE: 5.

w. N J m p. 0. w m mmmW V .A 6 x m m I 5 .M Q Y n J N AW l a W B Z5, 7 my PM n m w vammm W 5 3 n W 65 M 4 2 2 2 2 a w Patented Jan. 1, 1952 2,5sa95o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH MECHANISM J ohn B. Parsons, Maumee, Ohio Application June 16, 1949, Serial No. 99,515

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electrical switch mechanisms, and an object is to produce a simple and efficient switch mechanism having the new and improved features of construction, arrangement and operation hereinafter described.

For purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch mechanism showing the operating knob in the three positions of adjustment, a portion of the housing cover being broken away for purposes of clarity;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the parts in normal position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the actuating member moved to the right of the figure, or when the operating knob is moved to the right of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is another view similar to Figure 3, but showing the parts in the position with the actuating member moved to the left of the figure, or showing the parts in the position with the actuating knob moved to the left-hand position shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a substantially square housing preferably of electrical insulating material, consisting of a base I, upstanding side walls l2 and end Walls l3. Mounted on the bottom wall II and rising therefrom are end terminals l4 and I arranged adjacent the respective end walls l3 approximately midway of the length thereof. Arranged midway of the length of each side wall l2 and also carried by the bottom wall H are intermediate shouldered surfaces or side terminals I6 and I1. Each of the terminals has a portion extending below the bottom wall of the housing to provide binding posts for receiving the wires or leads. One of the side terminals l6 and Il constitutes a live terminal, its binding post being connected to a battery or other source of electrical current.

Adjacent each of the terminal posts I6 and I1 is an inwardly extending portion II! which is integral with the adjacent side walls I2 and extends substantially from the bottom to the top of the side wall. The inwardly projecting portions provide stop shoulders l9 and 20 arranged on opposite sides of the terminal posts l6 and I1. Loosely arranged within the housing I is a pair of metallic electrically conductive plates 2| and 22 which extend substantially from side to side and normally are held in abutting engagement with the stop shoulders I9 and 20 respectively by substantially Ushaped electrically conductive springs 23, the outer ends of which are arched to bear against the adjacent terminal post M or IS. The opposite end portion of each spring 23 bears against the plate in flatwise manner and holds it in engagement with the respective stop shoulders. Both the plates 2| and 22, as well as the springs 23, are of electrical conductive material for a purpose hereinafter described.

From the above description, it will be apparent that normally the plates 2| and 22 are held in the position shown in Figure 3 with the plates in abutting engagement with the pairs of shoulders l9 and 20 respectively.

Disposed between the plates 2| and 22 is a substantially Ushaped sheet metal slide of electrical conductive material having a base portion or bottom Wall 24 which is adapted to slide along the bottom wall ll of the housing and a pair of somewhat longer upstanding arms 25 and 26. The arms 25 and 26 are of sufiicient length that upon the movement of the slide in one direction or the other, one or the other of the arms may contact both terminal posts l6 and IT. The upstanding arms 25 and 26 are adapted to abut flatwise against the inner face of the plates 2| and 22 so that as the slide is shifted in one direction or the other, one or the other of the plates is accordingly shifted bodily toward its end terminal post M or !5 as indicated on Figures 4 and 5. The side edges of the bottom wall 24 of the slide are turned up to form flanges 21 to engage portions of an actuating block 28.

The actuating block 28 is of a width less than the distance between the slide arms 25 and 25 and interposed between the sides of the actuating block 28 and the slide arms are substantially Ushaped bulfer springs 29, the ends of which are outwardly curved to slide upon the inner face of the respective slide arm, there being a nubbin 30 centrally of each spring to engage in a socket in the adjacent side of the actuating block for retaining the spring in position. These springs act as take-up or buffer springs so that some lost motion of the actuating block 28 may be had in one direction or the other. These springs also militate against rattling of the parts.

The actuating block slides in an elongate slot 3| in a plate 32 resting on the top of the walls of the housing In. The upper end of the block has a pair of laterally extending flanges 33 and and moving it to the position a top portion 34 which slide in channel portions of a cover 35. The cover 35 has integral downwardly extending side portions or flanges 36 overlapping the sides of the housing. The ends of the cover plate 35 are open and the top portion 34 of the block is longitudinally grooved as indicated at 31, to receive a reduced portion 38 of an actuating stem 39. On the outer end of the stem 39 is an operating knob 46.

The cover flanges 36 are attached to-the end walls l3 of the housing by a metal fastener M which also is in spring engagement with the side walls of an aperture in a supporting bracket 42. The structure of the fastener 4! forms no part of the present invention and detailed description and illustration thereof are notoonsidered necessary. Reference is hereby made to my United States Patent 2,446,141, dated July 27, 1948, wherein the same is fully described;

In the operation of the above switch mechanism, itwill be understood that normally the operating knob 'clil is in the iull'line position shown in Figure 1, in which the parts of the switch are in the position shown in Figure 3. Upon pushing in on the operating knob it, and moving it to the dotted line position A, the slide block 28 is moved to the left of the figure to the position shown in Figure 5 in which the slide arm 26 is brought into contact with the terminal posts l6 and IT whereby current from one of those posts can then travel'through the arm 26' to the other post, thus establishing an electrical connection thereb'etween. Current can also pass through the arm 26, the base of the slide 244- to the arm 25, through the plate 22 to the spring 23 and thence to the terminal post 55. Under some circumstances, one of the' terminals it or I? (or that terminal which is not a live terminal), may be dispensed with so that current is then delivered-only to the terminal post id from the liveterminal; In the latter event, a' suitable stop is employed for the opposite end portion of the slide arm 26. When it is desired to introduce current to the terminal posts Hi, the slide block 22 is moved to the right of the figure or to that position shown in Figure 4, this being achieved by pulling outwardly on the operating knob 49 B. In so doing, the slide arm 25 is brought into contact with the terminal posts 16' and H, establishing an electrical' connection therebetween and enabling currentto pass through the base it of the slide to the slide arm 26, plate 21 and through the adjacent spring 23' to the'terminal post it. It will be apparent that upon release of the operating knob 40 from either its outward position B or its inward position A, one or the other of the springs: 23 causes the slide to return to central position. Thus the springs 23 tend at all times to" centralize the assembly to the position shown on Figure 3.

Although the above switch mechanism may be used in a variety-of places, it is particularly adapted for use in connection with the operation of tops of convertible automobiles when, for example, the: terminal post is leads from a source of electrical current such as a battery and the terminal post I! leadsto an electric motor operat ing. a hydraulic pump. Thus when the: terminal posts lfi-and ll-are connected, the pump isplaced in operation. In such an organization, the terminal post l5 would control a solenoid operated valve which would allow liquid under pressure from the pump to be delivered to one end of a cylinder todrive a piston therein in one direc- T tion. On the other hand, when the terminal post I4 is energized, a separatesolenoid controlled valve would be energized to allow liquid under pressure to be delivered to the opposite end of the cylinder to drive the cylinder in the opposite direction. In such an arrangement, the piston rod would be connected to the top linkage so that in one direction of movement, the top will be moved to its folded or open position and in the opposite direction of movement, the top would be moved to its unfolded or closed position. It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate shouldered surfaces one of which constitutes a live terminal, an end terminal at each end of said housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each shouldered surface, a pair of electrically conductive plates loosely arranged within said housing for abutting engagement witha pair of stop shoulders respectively, electrically conductive springs connected respectively to said end terminals and tensioning said plates against their adjacent stop shoulders, a slide of electrical conductive material having upright arms arranged to engage the inner faces of said plates respectively and for movement in opposite directions to establish'an electrical contact with the live'terminal, and means for shifting said slide in a direction toward one plate or the other thereby to establish an electrical connection between one or the other end terminal with said live terminal.

2. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate shouldered surfaces one of which constitutes a live terminal, an end terminal at each end of said housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each shouldered surface, a pair of electrically conductive plates loosely arranged within said housing for abutting engagement with a pair'of stop shoulders respectively, electrically conductive springs connected respectively to said end terminals and tensioning said plates against their adjacent stop shoulders, a slide of electrical conductive material having upright arms arranged to engage the inner faces of said plates respectively and for movment in opposite directions to establish an electrical contact with the live terminal, a member engaging said slide between said arms for actuating same, and manual means operatively connected to said member.

3. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate shouldered surfaces one of which constitutes a live terminal, an end terminal at each end of said housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each shouldered surface, a pair of electrically conductive plates loosely' arranged within said housing for abutting engagement with a pair of stop shoulders respectively, electrically conductive springs connected respectively to said end terminals and tensioning said plates against their adjacent stop shoulders, a slide of electrical conductive material having upright arms arranged to engage the in her faces of said plates respectively and for movemerit in opposite directions to establish an elec tricalcontact with the live terminal, an actuating block having a portion disposed between said arms, buffer means between said block and arms respectively, means including a cover for said housing for guiding said block, and handle means operatively connected to said block 4. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate shouldered surfaces one of which constitutes a live terminal, an end terminal at each end of said housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each shouldered surface, a pair of electrically conductive plates loosely arranged within said housing for abutting engagement with a pair of stop shoulders respectively, electrically conductive springs connected respectively to said end terminals and tensioning said plates against their adjacent stop shoulders, a slide of electrical conductive material having upright arms arranged to engage the inner faces of said plates respectively and for movement in opposite directions to establish an electrical contact with the live terminal, an actuating block having a portion disposed between said arms, take-up springs between opposite sides of said block and said arms respectively, means including a cover for said housing for guiding said block, and push-pull rod connected to shift said block.

5. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate shouldered surfaces one of which constitutes a live terminal, an end terminal at each end of said housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each shouldered surface, a pair of electrically conductive plates loosely arranged within said housing for abutting engagement with a pair of stop shoulders respectively, electrically conductive springs connected respectively to said end terminals and tensioning said plates against their adjacent stop shoulders, a sheet metal slide of electrical conductive material having upright arms arranged to engage the inner faces of said plates respectively and for movement in opposite directions to establish an electrical contact with the live terminal, an actuating block having a portion disposed between said arms, means for holding said slide against lateral shifting movements, take-up springs between opposite sides of said block and said arms respectively, means including a cover for said housing for guiding said block, and push-pull rod connected to shift said block.

6. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate terminal posts within said housing arranged on opposite sides thereof and in an intermediate position, one of said intermediate posts carrying current, an end terminal post at each end of the housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each intermediate post respectively, a pair of upright electrically conductive plates extending across the housing for abutting engagement at the ends thereof with a pair of stops respectively, springs of electrical conducting material connected respectively to said end terminal posts at one end and bearing against the outer faces of adjacent upright plates at the opposite end for holding same against said shoulders, a slide of electrical conductive material intermediate said upright plates having upright arms normally abutting the inner faces of said upright plates respectively, and an actuating member for shifting said slide to cause one arm or the other thereof to engage both inter-.. mediate posts'and provide an electrical connection with one or the other of said end posts.

7. A switch comprising a housing, a pair of intermediate terminal posts within said housing arranged on opposite sides thereof and in an intermediate position, one of said intermediate posts carrying current, an end terminal post at each end of the housing, stop shoulders in said housing on opposite sides of each intermediate post respectively, a pair of upright electrically conductive plates extending across the housing for abutting engagement at the ends thereof with a pair of stops respectively, springs of electrical conducting material connected respectively to said end terminal posts at one end and bearing against the outer faces of adjacent upright plates at the opposite end for holding same against said shoulders, a slide of electrical conductive material intermediate said upright plates having upright arms normally abutting the inner faces of said upright plates respectively, an actuating member for shifting said slide to cause one arm or the other thereof to engage both intermediate posts and provide an electrical connection with one or the other of said end posts, arched take-up springs between said actuating member and said arms respectively, means including a cover for said housing for guiding said actuating member, and a push-pull rod operatively connected to said actuating member.

JOHN B. PARSONS.

Name Date Soreng May 23, 1933 Number 

